With the cost of fresh produce increasing, making your own preserves is certainly making a comeback. Sophie Gray shares everything you need to know to make the most of your produce by making your own jams or bottled fruits to last through the year.
Jam and marmalade:
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Jam requires pectin to set. Some fruits, such as citrus, are high in pectin, others, including apricots, are low, with levels decreasing in riper fruit. Most fruits can be made into jam by either adding pectin in the form of a squeeze of lemon juice or by using a jam-setting sugar that contains added pectin. Blending a high and low pectin fruit together also works well, such as apple (high) and strawberry (low).
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Work in smallish batches as large quantities take a long time to achieve a setting point, resulting in overcooked fruit with dull flavour.
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Once setting point is reached, allow jam to settle off the heat for 10 minutes before filling the jars so the fruit is evenly distributed and bubbles have released.
Try it at home:
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Our feijoa ginger scones and fast feijoa jam are a match made in heaven.
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This easy tomato jam is spiked with chilli and packed with savoury spices, making it perfect with cheese and crackers, on a pie or with eggs.
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Our lime marmalade is a deliciously tangy addition to your morning breakfast spread or afternoon scones.
Chutney:
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Chutney relies on sugar and vinegar as preservatives, so don’t try to skimp on either as your efforts may spoil.
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Most chutneys need to mature for several months after sealing, so plan to keep them on the shelf for three to six months before using.
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You can use less than perfect produce in chutneys, including green tomatoes, windfall apples or end-of-season surpluses.
Try it at home:
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Our tamarillo chutney matches beautifully with cheese, pickles, cold meats, and our walnut digestives.
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Nici Wickes’ peach and kaffir lime chutney makes a great pairing for seafood or Asian-inspired dishes like soy chicken.
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This rhubarb chutney recipe is great for using up overflowing produce.
Bottled fruit:
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Plums, apricots, peaches, pears and even stewed fruits can be bottled to enjoy out of season. Choose firm fruit and lightly poach in a sugar syrup before bottling in the syrup.
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Stone fruits such as plums and apricots can be bottled whole, which is quick and easy, or peel and slice to fit more into each jar. Run a long knife down the insides of the jar before sealing to release air bubbles.
Try it at home:
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Prolong the taste of summer with these gorgeous fruit jars – you can choose from plum and vanilla, peaches, honey and rosemary or apricots and gingered sweet wine.
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Go for a sugar-free option with these simple bottled peaches.
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These preserved lemons add a wonderfully complex citrus note to both sweet and savoury dishes.
Remember:
Choose the right jar for the job. For example, jars with a small opening and narrow neck are ideal for fruits in syrups, while wide-mouthed, straight-sided jars are good for chunky preserves.
Run all the jars, lids and tools through the dishwasher to sterilise, or warm jars in a low oven for 20 minutes and boil lids and seals in a saucepan of simmering water until needed.
For a good seal to occur, both jars and lids must be hot, and the filling almost simmering.
For more tips, follow our guide on how to sterilise and seal jam jars.
